Anyone who follows me on Instagram will know I love gin. It is my drink of choice when I’m not drinking wine or in place of wine, which I sometimes tire of.
Meet me for lunch and you will invariably find me, already seated, I have an almost pathological fear of lateness, sipping a gin martini.
“As cold and hard as the look in your mother-in-law’s eyes*” is how I usually tag my posts because like all the great martini drinkers: Hemingway, Churchill, Bogart, Hitchcock, when I order a martini “ very dry” what I’m really asking for is for the vermouth to be part of the name, but not to appear in the drink itself. Maybe, if you must, swill a little around the frozen glass then tip it out and fill said glass with very dry gin preferably taken from the freezer.
If a Martini is not an appropriate choice I turn to other gin based drinks. I’m always happy to sip a gimlet (gin with lime cordial), I have a passionate relationship with an Aviation ( gin, maraschino and, joy of joys, creme de violette) and I’ve never turned down one of Brutto’s renowned Negronis.
At home mixed cocktails don’t often happen for all sorts of reasons, so each year, in the early spring, I make several bottles of rhubarb gin. It has to be made now as I’m looking for the elegant taste of the pale pink fruit from the Yorkshire triangle, not the more robust flavour that would come from our greener, summer rhubarb.
Simplicity itself to make you simply cut 450gm rhubarb into 1cm pieces. Put these in Kilner type jar and add 750 ml of strong gin. I use any London gin on special offer at the shops, as long as it is at least 40% proof. Save the gin bottle, you’ll need it later.
Seal the jar and leave in a cool place for at least two weeks or up to two months. Strain, I’m afraid you’ll need to throw away the rhubarb which goes against my inherent feelings of thrift, and sweeten the gin to taste. As I intend to freeze the gin I over sweeten it to allow for the tastebud numbing effect of the cold, but how sweet you go is for you to decide.
Pour the gin back into the bottle, leaving bout 2” of headspace and store in the freezer.
Serve frozen. It can be a bit tricky pouring the gelid gin out of the bottle, so you may need to get the bottle out of the freezer a couple of minutes before you want to drink. Use the time to open a packet of those amazing olive oil crisps that are now everywhere, then sit and enjoy.
Santé
I’m a mother-in-law now so have perfected the stare.
Wonderful. Totally with you about the gin, and have never thought of putting rhubarb into it.
Have you thought of running workshops to perfect the art of Mother-in-Law stare – so people can train for the big day?
I don't drink, and can't stand the smell or taste of gin but this post makes even teetotal me want to try it!